Nicky the Harajuku Barbie. Nicki Lewinski. Nicki the Ninja. Nicki the Boss. Nicki Minaj — née Onika Tanya Maraj — goes by many names. And that’s kind of the point. After launching a series of mixtapes and upstaging some of rap’s most revered acts on their own tracks (“50K for a verse, no album out,” as she proclaimed on “Monster”), Nicki dropped her debut LP Pink Friday and changed the game forever. With her singular flow and use of eccentric alter egos (think: Roman Zolanski’s Cockney accent or Barb’s bubblegum-sweet coo), Nicki has gone on to become one of the most successful and influential rappers of all time. Point blank. In addition to innovating the genre, Nicki’s also served up some of the century’s most enduring hip-hop hits including “Super Bass”, “Starships”, “Roman Holiday”, and “Anaconda”, just to name a few.
On the sartorial side of things, Nickiy’s personal style is just as eclectic as her musical stylings. In fact, both go hand-in-hand. Wardrobe plays a huge part in Nicki’s artistry, with different looks embodying the essence of her many alter egos. There’s Harajuku Barbie in her mega-platforms, cartoon patterns, and lace corsets. Or the zany Roman Zolanski in wild animal prints and that beehive wig. Think also of Nicki’s perennial spot on the Met Gala’s guestlist (in Jeremy Scott’s Moschino or Tisci’s Burberry). Or her brief flirtation with minimalism (in McQueen hourglass gowns). Here, as the Queen of Rap releases her latest album, Pink Friday 2, we look back at over a decade of the rapper’s style.
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At the GQ Men of the Year party, 2009
Back in November 2009, Nicki had just signed to Young Money — and her career was about to blow up. And although she wouldn’t launch Pink Friday for another year, the vision was still there. Through the rest of 2009 and the beginning of 2010, the rapper rocked her signature pink wigs and Barbie chain, alongside additional hyper-feminine garb-like bodycon minidresses and bustiered catsuits.
At the American Music Awards, 2010
Give it up for Pink Friday, you guys! Just a day before the album’s release, Nicki pulled up to the American Music Awards in this avant-garde creation by Indian designer Manish Arora. The bold dress heralded a confident new look for the rapper. But it also gave fans a taste of what was to come. It turns out, Pink Friday would be as delightfully bold, wacky, innovative, and maximalist as the rapper’s AMA’s look. (Also: note the blonde wig and coloured tips, another staple of this early era.)
At the Grammy’s, 2011
Remember Nicki’s Bride of Frankenstein wig? The rapper memorably wore the look to the 2011 Grammys (paired with an all-over leopard print.) However, the ‘do first made its appearance in early 2011 shortly before it was venerated in SNL’s infamous Bride of Blackenstein sketch. From then on, the beehive look became one of Nicki’s signatures, with the rapper rocking it on stage and on the red carpet.
At a Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded signing, 2012
Nicki’s unique rap style is characterised by her many alter egos. Among the most well-known are the zany Roman Zolanski (as well as his mother Martha) and the sweet-voiced Harajuku Barbie. The latter is Nicki’s longest-lasting alter and has had a profound effect on the rapper’s style throughout the years. Around 2012, Nicki was in full Harajuku Barbie mode, wearing ultra-girlish, ultra-cute, and ultra-pink looks from the VMA’s to NYFW. Think cartoon patterns, sky-high platforms, lacy tutus, and even plushies-as-accessories.
At the American Music Awards, 2012
Of course, Nicki’s first foray into minimalism had to include a healthy dose of fluorescent colour. Bright chartreuse to be exact. At the 2012 AMA’s, the rapper dialed down her Barbie maximalism in a simple Monique Lhuillier. Oh, and she scooped the awards for Favourite Rap/Hip-Hop Artist and Album.
At the MTV Movie Awards, 2014
In 2014, Nicki made her big screen debut in Nick Cassavetes’ rom-com The Other Woman. The shift from rapper to actor also saw a decided shift in Nicki’s style, with the rapper launching a sleek new look at the year’s MTV Movie Awards. The iconic Alexander McQueen dress in question was followed up by several more ultra-minimal outfits by the designer, including a sweater dress to The Other Woman premiere and a cage dress to the Billboard Awards. The Other Woman’s theatrical release — and Nicki’s minimalist McQueen streak — somewhat coincided with the release of “Pills N Potions”, Nicki’s most pared-back single to date. Talk about synergy.
At the MTV VMAs, 2015
By 2015, Nicki wasn’t quite ready to fully relinquish the minimalist look. Emphasis on “fully”, here. To the year’s Grammys and VMAs, the rapper donned a pair of sleek-and-spangled hourglass gowns. The flapper-inspired number she wore to the former was crafted by King of Minimalism, Tom Ford, while the latter, designed by LaBourjoisie, was decorated with pearl embellishments valued at $15,000.
At the Met Gala, 2016
2016 saw Nicki’s look go full boudoir in lace bodysuits and pasties, ultra-strappy gowns, and the pièce de résistance: her buckled, BDSM-inspired Met Gala look, designed by Jeremy Scott for Moschino.
At the MTV VMAs, 2017
Speaking of boudoir garb: Nicki donned head-to-toe latex at the 2017 VMA’s, both on the red carpet and on stage, where she performed her feature on Katy Perry’s “Swish Swish”.
At the Met Gala, 2018
Talk about a real style evolution. Back in 2012, Nicki famously pulled up to the Grammy’s in monastic Versace robes — and with a pope impersonator on her arm. Six years later, she revisited Catholicism’s sartorial codes, this time on the occasion of the Met’s “Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination” exhibition. At the inaugural gala, the rapper wore a red Oscar de la Renta gown and a cross-embellished Tiffany’s headpiece. I wanted to make sure the bad guy was here,” she told E!, referencing her newest single, “Chun-Li.”
At the Met Gala, 2019
If there’s one thing we know about Nicki, it’s that she’ll always find a way back to her Barbie-pink roots. In 2019, the rapper brought her Barbie alter to the Met Gala red carpet for the first time, wearing an embellished, ballet-inspired number by Prabal Gurung.
At the Met Gala, 2022
In 2022, Nicki made her grand Met Gala return in, well, grand fashions. This year, the rapper wore a massive feathered gown (and leather baseball cap!) designed by Burberry’s Riccardo Tisci. This, however, wasn’t the first time Nicki had teamed up with the Italian designer. Back in 2015, the rapper donned one of Tisci’s Givenchy creations to the BET Awards.
At the MTV VMAs, 2023
After going (somewhat) goth for the 2022 Met Gala, Nicki transformed into a Barbie bride for the following year’s VMA’s appearance – timely, given her recent feature on the soundtrack for the hit movie about the plastic doll, and the return of her kitsch pop sound with Pink Friday 2. The rapper walked the correspondingly hued carpet in a bubblegum-pink corseted gown complete with a veil, designed by Dolce & Gabbana. Off the carpet, while taking up the evening’s hosting duties, the rapper made a series of quick changes, all of which harkened back to past eras, from 2018’s Chun-Li to 2015’s boudoir-core.